System and method for bypassing data from egress facilities

• US 8,953,585 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Shawn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Man
• Application Number:
  US13/858,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-352, 370356-401, 370376-395, 709203-223, 709229-231
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0025 Provisions for signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

An open architecture platform bypasses data from the facilities of a telecommunications carrier, e.g. an incumbent local exchange carrier, by distinguishing between voice and data traffic, and handling voice and data traffic separately. An SS7 gateway receives and transmits SS7 signaling messages with the platform. When signaling for a call arrives, the SS7 gateway informs a control server on the platform. The control server manages the platform resources, including the SS7 gateway, tandem network access servers (NASs) and modem NASs. A tandem NAS receives the call over bearer channels. The control server determines whether the incoming call is voice traffic or data traffic, by the dialed number, and instructs the tandem NAS how to handle the call. Voiced traffic is transmitted to a switch for transmission from the platform. Data traffic is terminated at a modem NAS, where it is converted into a form suitable for a data network, such as a private data network or an Internet services provider (ISP). The converted data is sent by routers to the data network. The data network need not convert the data, as the function has already been provided by the platform. In lieu of a conversion, the modems can create a tunnel (a virtual private network) between a remote server and the data network.

Claims

1. A method for bypassing public switched telephone network (PSTN) carrier network facilities, comprising:

providing an open architecture platform independent of the Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC) switching hierarchy comprising at least a network access node, a plurality of tandem access nodes, and a network communicatively connecting the network access node to the plurality of tandem access nodes;

communicatively connecting each of a plurality of PSTN tandem switches and a plurality of third party voice switches to at least one of the plurality of tandem access nodes, wherein at least a first PSTN tandem switch of the plurality of PSTN tandem switches is communicatively connected to subscribers via an end office switch; and

switching traffic between the plurality of PSTN tandem switches, the at least on network access node and the plurality of third party voice switches using the plurality of tandem access nodes, the switching act comprising;

(i) receiving signaling information associated with a telecommunications call made by a first subscriber of the plurality of subscribers, wherein the signaling information comprises an identifier; and

(ii) analyzing the identifier to determine whether to send the telecommunications call to the at least one network access node or to one of the plurality of voice switches.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a dialed telephone number.